Highlighting Agriculture

Sow the Grains of Knowledge: Organic Wheat, Spelt, Emmer & Einkorn Production Workshop in Centre County for Grain Enthusiasts of All Levels

MILLHEIM, PA. [June 13, 2013] The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), the Organic Growers Research and Information-Sharing Network and Penn State Extension will present a Field Day on growing organic grain. This workshop is open for anyone with an interest in locally grown heritage grains, from growers to everyday consumers alike.
This workshop will be held on June 25, 2013, and will include a tour of Penn State research fields to observe trial plots of heritage wheat, spelt, emmer and einkorn. Topics to be covered include sourcing and bulking seed of rare grains, equipment and storage needs, grain-processing options, and issues and management of pests, disease and weeds. There will be seed-cleaning, threshing and milling demos, as well as a tasty treat to sample baked goods made with the various grains.

There will be a range of experts presenting including Dr. Greg Roth, a professor and grain crop management researcher in the Department of Plant Science at Penn State; Charlie White, a Sustainable Agriculture Extension Associate with Penn State specializing on soil health and cover crops in organic farming; Elizabeth Dyck, the coordinator of the Organic Growers’ Research and Information-Sharing Network who researches organic growing methods of small grains; Joel Steigman of Small Valley Milling, who specializes in raising and dehulling “ancient” grains and runs an organic mill; and Nigel Tudor of Weatherbury Farm, who grows a variety of specialty and heritage grains and builds small-scale equipment to dehull grain, roll oats, mill flour and make pasta.

Steigman, a heritage grain grower of thirteen years stresses the importance of local grains as they are “very valuable to the local economy; they generate more income for the farmer, and it keeps your dollar at home.”

This Field Day will be held from 10:00am-4:00pm at the Penn State Russell Larson Research & Education Center, Gate D off of Route 45 (near the Ag Progress Day site) in Pennsylvania Furnace, PA.

The event costs $35, is open to the public and includes lunch. PASA members can attend for $20. To learn more and register for this event and others, visit pasafarming.org/farmbasededucation or call (814) 349-9856.

PASA strives to ensure all those interested in becoming a member of the organization or attending an event can do so at a reasonable rate. PASA is offering this field day for free when you purchase or renew your PASA membership. To access this offer, choose the “Membership & Field Day Combo” offer when you register online. This offer gains attendees access to a quality educational program, a delicious locally sourced lunch, all of the benefits of membership for one year and access to PASA’s growing network.

About PASA
With over 6,000 members, the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) is one of the largest and most active sustainable agriculture organizations in the U.S. Through business support and regional marketing assistance for farmers, advocacy, and public education, PASA seeks to promote profitable farms that produce healthy food for all people while respecting the natural environment. PASA’s hallmark event, the Farming for the Future Conference, draws thousands of participants from more than 30 states and six countries each February. For more information, visit pasafarming.org.

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